‘A solicitor described by a High Court judge as a “thoroughly dishonest man” has been jailed and a medical expert who produced an “astonishing” 32 reports a day handed a suspended prison sentence for civil contempt of court.’

‘Clinical Genetics is a field of medicine concerned with the probability of an indvidual’s condition having an hereditary basis. The journal Medical Law International has just published an article about the scope of potential duties of care owed by specialists in this field to people with heritable diseases. The authors draw out the features of genomic medicine that open the door to new liabilities; a potential duty owed by clinicians to third party family members, and another legal relationship that may be drawn between researchers and patients.’

‘The General Pharmaceutical Council – the independent regulator for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy premises in Great Britain – has published In practice: Guidance on religion, personal values and beliefs.’

‘The International Bioethics Committee, under the auspices of UNESCO, has recently updated its guidance on the human genome and human rights. The Report of the IBC on Updating its Reflection on the Human Genome and Human Rights was published in October 2015, and takes into account the Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights (1997), the International Declaration on Human Genetic Data (2003) and the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights (2005). The following summary is based on Alison Hall’s review of the recommendations in the PHG Foundation’s bulletin.’

‘This recent case in the Court of Protection considered best interests in the context of a minimally conscious patient and whether it was lawful for the applicant trust to cease making further efforts to maintain artificial nutrition.’

“The High Court has ruled that two sisters must receive the MMR vaccine against their wishes and the wishes of their mother. This was an application by the father for a declaration and a specific issue order concerning his daughters both receive the MMR vaccination. This was opposed by their mother.”

“In early 2012, the Daily Telegraph carried out an undercover investigation at various abortion clinics in England. As a result, a police investigation was conducted and, in due course, the police asked the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for advice about possible criminal charges. This note relates to the decision to take no further action in relation to two doctors: Dr S and Dr R.”

“An alliance of 50 MPs on Saturday accuses the Crown Prosecution Service of an ‘unconstitutional’ encroachment on the role of Parliament by refusing to bring charges against doctors linked to illegal abortions.”

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